Ever since Phil “CM Punk” Brooks signed with the UFC, the former pro wrestler-turned-real-fighter has been dominating headlines. Hardcore fans scream about ‘legitimacy’ while casual fans are peeking around the proverbial corner to see what all the fuss is about.

Brooks, who has never actually fought professionally, has made quite a name for himself in the sport of MMA in only a few short months. This is in part due to his background as a WWE superstar (something fight fans have trouble reconciling with at times) and the fact that he is getting preferential treatment over many other, more seasoned fighters.

Most assume that when Brooks does, in fact, make his in-cage debut, that he will be featured prominently. Brooks let the MMA world know a few weeks ago that he would be training for his UFC debut with world-renowned striking coach Duke Roufus in Milwaukee. Roufus is a former kickboxing champion who trains the likes of UFC lightweight champ Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and undefeated

If someone told you that, if you stayed up for 48 consecutive hours, you could play Augusta National Golf Club, there's a good chance you would run to your nearest coffee machine and start brewing.

If you had to give a kidney to play the home of the Masters, there's a chance you'd handle the scalpel yourself.

Not Phil Mickelson, though. The three-time Masters winner has probably played Augusta National more times than he can ever remember. So, not that it's old hat, but he can go there pretty much whenever he wants. Perhaps that's why he canceled a scheduled Tuesday practice round there. Why?

"Just tired," Mickelson said Monday after The Honda Classic.

Mickelson then made the short drive from PGA National to Seminole Golf Club for its famous, star-studded pro-member tournament. Along with partner and Augusta National member Jimmy Payne, Mickelson came in a tie for eighth, four shots behind the winning duo of Rory McIlroy and John Pinkham.

Jeff Hornacek looks upstairs for an answer. (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: The Arizona Republic. Strong words from Paul Coro ("It is difficult for the Suns to even look at the standings any longer when they have to take such a long, hard look at themselves") and head coach Jeff Hornacek ("We have to find out who on this team is going to be tough") after the Phoenix Suns got blown out again on Monday, this time by the Miami Heat in a physical affair that Erik Spoelstra's club won going away.

PF: South Florida Sun Sentinel. Things were a bit lighter-hearted in the winning locker room, where Heat center Hassan Whiteside offered his side of the altercation with Suns sophomore Alex Len that led to both big men getting ejected in the third quarter: "It was the fourth or fifth time I dunked on him and I could tell he was frustrated."

Well, this is depressing. Former Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks guard Steve Francis got dragged to the floor, stepped on and choked by his own chain, which was later stolen, during an altercation at a hip-hop show in Houston over the weekend.

Naturally, TMZ has the video, which — again — is something of a bummer, and also contains some NSFW language:

Francis, 38, was one of many people on stage during a concert by Houston rap duo the Sauce Twinz. For one reason or another, beef began to broil, and before long, Francis found a hand around the gold chain around his neck, then found himself on the floor. Sources told TMZ that the as-yet-unidentified man who grabbed the chain ended up making off with it, and that police were not called to the scene in connection with the fight or the theft. (The Sauce Twinz apparently regret the incident.)

This is the latest in a string of sad and somewhatconcerning updates on Francis over the past year, as the nine-year NBA veteran

The term ‘super fight’ gets thrown around a lot in the sport of mixed martial arts. All too often, unfortunately, the outcome of these billings is anything but super – at least in terms of hype matching overall return.

There is one fight out there that fans have been clamoring for the last year and it may be the only fight a major organization can put together that is worthy of the super-fight moniker. And half of the ‘last great super fight’ tandem fanned the flames this weekend at UFC 184 when he addressed his future.

"I don't know when I'm going to move up in weight,” said UFC light heavyweight champion at Saturday’s UFC 184 Welcome to the Show press event in Los Angeles. “I've entertained the thought of going to heavyweight so many times…”

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez sits atop his throne of the UFC’s big men. When he isn’t battling one of his many well-publicized injuries, the American Kickboxing Academy product has looked nearly unstoppable as the heavyweight king. He

The Denver Nuggets have apparently decided that six weeks is too long to wait. Brian Shaw is out as the team’s head coach, according to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, following a disastrous 2-19 stretch of play. That stretch became infamous on Friday night, when several Nuggets reportedly broke a team huddle by chanting “six weeks,” an apparent reference to the time left in the 2014-15 NBA season. Respected assistant Melvin Hunt will take over this mess on an interim basis.

As we discussed at length on Monday, the Nuggets have embarrassingly failed twice in their attempts to rejoin the Western Conference playoff bracket in the two seasons since former coach George Karl and general manager Masai Ujiri left the team in the spring and early summer of 2013. Karl and Ujiri no doubt noted that the 2012-13 Nuggets peaked at 57 wins, and a combination of stasis, bad luck, bum injuries and the exodus of Andre Iguodala doomed Shaw’s coaching career from the start.

It's been a cold winter throughout much of North America, but NBA games are played within the warm confines of modern arenas. So why was Patrick Patterson wearing what appeared to be mittens or gloves on the Raptors' bench during a 114-103 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia? Were the gloves even the kind that would keep hands warm in the first place, or do they serve some other purpose entirely? Whatever the reason, it was incredibly strange to see an NBA player sporting anything on his hands during a game. Fortunately for us, former player and current analyst Malik Rose pointed out on the game broadcast that similar gloves often have paraffin wax on the inside to keep hands warm and dry for ball handling and shooting control. The Flyers' ice rink lurking beneath the floor may have contributed to the cold on the Toronto bench, as well. The more you know.

LeBron James is good to his friends. The NBA superstar recently had a collection of 600

The Bryan Brothers light it up on a regular basis, while a host of others are trying to make a name for themselves by showing what they can do with a club, a ball and the occasional prop.

However, two-time Remax World Long-Drive champion Jamie Sadlowski has taken the art form to a new level. Sadlowski, a Callaway Golf staffer, teamed up with YouTube mega-sensations Dude Perfect for a trick-shot compilation that will blow your mind.

This five-minute video has a little bit of everything in it. Of course, there's the requisite GoPro cameras and lots of high-fiving and man-hugging. However, the tricks are dynamite.

Here's a set list:

Sadlowski hits a 100-yard punch shot to a small target attached to a basketball hoop, knocking a suspended ball into the basket

He hits a putter some 170 yards on a par 3, then makes the birdie putt in a great one-club challenge, then later makes a 132-foot putt with his driver

The PGA Tour splits off this week, with the best players in the world in the Miami area for the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral. The Gil Hanse-renovated TPC Blue Monster hosts the top 50 players in the world and a slew of money leaders from global tours.

Patrick Reed is defending champion this week, but the headliner is again Rory McIlroy, who will look to bounce back in this no-cut event after missing the weekend at The Honda Classic.

Here are my top five picks for the week.

1. Rory McIlroy -- McIlroy didn't make the cut at Honda, but he had an awful draw along with half the field. He was T-25 here a year ago. He's a very different player since then.

2. Jordan Spieth -- Hey, maybe we'll see Jordan Spieth on TV this week. Spieth is a top-10 machine at the moment, taking that mantle from Matt Kuchar. His game plays anywhere and should be handy in windy conditions.

3. Dustin Johnson -- Johnson got cut at Honda playing alongside McIlroy and Brooks Koepka. He's been close to wins

Kevin Garnett may be 38 years old, but he remains one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA. When KG needs to switch onto a guard, it's a fair bet that he will be able to stick on the ballhandler and force a tough shot. Not being the defensive force he used to be does not mean that he can't make an impact.

Sometimes, though, Garnett's excellent defense is not enough, which the Minnesota Timberwolves learned in Monday night's game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center. With under a minute remaining and the Clippers up 106-103, Garnett switched onto Chris Paul after a pick from DeAndre Jordan. As he has so many times in his career, he stuck with one of the league's best ballhandlers. But Paul made several moves to get just enough space and altered his shot to make sure it would not be blocked:

This fantastic bucket served as the dagger in the Clippers' 110-105 win, but the context makes it even more